Duesenberg Guitars are perhaps best known for their striking take on classical guitar forms, the introduction of innovative design elements and their own patented tremolo system. They are also renowned as one of the few European brands to break into the mainstream of US/UK artists, with endorsements from the likes of Ron Wood, Bob Dylan, Dave Stewart, the Eagles and Bon Jovi, to name but a few. So with their emphasis on high quality instruments, it is no surprise that the Hannover-based firm also has a Plek Station as part of its production line.

We talked to Duesenberg CEO and co-owner Ingo Renner about the art of producing top-quality guitars.

What was your initial reason for buying a Plek machine? I guess I was just fascinated to see how a machine was able to work consistently, quickly and perfectly the whole day - and that of course is something that not even our best guitar builder would be able to do without a break.

Are all Duesenberg guitars pleked?Of course. And the basses! :)

How has the Plek machine affected the production process and the quality?Our quality was already very good before Plek came along. But as guitar builders, fret dressing really isn't one of our favourite occupations. Particularly when it's something that has to be done all day, every day.

Our Plek machine is set to run relatively slowly in comparison to some of our competitors. On top of that we take a lot of care with each instrument before and after the Plek process. This means that we can be extremely precise and exact when working with each instrument.

When we bought the Plek machine it meant that we had to rearrange our production process, with different aspects of fretwork taking place in different parts of the building. But now the Plek machine is totally integrated into our production here in Hannover. We really wouldn't want to live without it!

One of the notable things about Duesenberg is the number of famous guitarists on your list of endorsers. How did you manage that, and do you think that the Plek machine plays a role in this?I'm sure that there are a number of reasons. One of the most important is certainly that we combine eye-catching design with the best technical equipment possible. For any musician it is important that visual appearance fits well with their own style of playing. On the other hand the playability also has to be absolutely right. And if we add our own Duesenberg Tremolo into the mix, that gives the player the chance to have a trem that not only has an incredibly smooth action, but also doesn't go out of tune like some other systems. So overall that means that Duesenberg guitars provide a very well-rounded package, and that is something that a lot of the world's top players have recognized.

Thanks for talking to us, and good luck for the future!Thanks, and the same to you!